RAL 850-1 vs Artichoke
RAL 850-1 (RAL Effect) and Artichoke (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, RAL 850-1 belongs to the greige-grey family and Artichoke to the grey family. The 32-point LRV gap — 53 for RAL 850-1 vs 21 for Artichoke — means RAL 850-1 will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 27.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 850-1 vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 850-1 and Artichoke in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. RAL 850-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Artichoke.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. RAL 850-1 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. RAL 850-1 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. RAL 850-1 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. RAL 850-1 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
RAL 850-1 vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 850-1 on one side and Artichoke on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More RAL 850-1 comparisons
See how RAL 850-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 53, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 53 and 52, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
RAL 850-1 reflects far more light (LRV 53 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 60 vs 53), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 4-point LRV gap (58 vs 53) makes Accessible Beige the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 53 vs 27, RAL 850-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 850-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 53 vs 43), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 55 vs 53), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 10-point LRV gap (53 vs 44) makes RAL 850-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 53), opening up a space where RAL 850-1 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 53, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 53, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 53 vs 12, RAL 850-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 53 vs 8, RAL 850-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 53, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 53 vs 12, RAL 850-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (53 vs 45) makes RAL 850-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
RAL 850-1 reflects far more light (LRV 53 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
RAL 850-1 reflects far more light (LRV 53 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.